Folding crate



H. w. WORLEY.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION HLED AUG.28, l920- 1,41 3, 149, Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR a W Mfg/m H. W. WORLEY- FOLDING CRATE. APPLICATION mph AuG.28. 1920.

Patefited Apr. 18, 1 922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. w'. womEv.

FOLDING-CRATE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.28.1920.

1,41 3, 1 49, Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

SHEETS-SHEET a.

INVENTOR isses.

p; re

HENRY w, WORLEY, or 'srocx'rou, oamsonnra.

FOLDING c airs.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY /V. Neuter. a citizen of the United States, ITGSlClHIg at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and.

State of California, have invented new an useful Improvements in Folding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shipping crates and has for its object the provision of a preferably metallic shipping crate for poul try, the crate being so constructed that it may be easily set up and locked in such setup position and whereby itmay be readily collapsed or folded so as to occupy but little spaced during return shipment when empty. I

An" important object is the provision of a device of this character which is provided with folding water troughs which are automatically extended or collapsed as the coop or crate is extended or lcollapsed, the cratebeing furthermore provided in itstop with a relatively small door permitting access to the interior without neeessitating'dis connection of the en'tiretop. i.

Another object is the provision of a crate of thisv character which is provided with novel locking means whereby it may be held either in extended or folded position.

An additional object is the provision of a crate of this character which will 'becom- J aratively simple and inexpensive in manufacture, highly e'llicient in use, durable in service, and a general improvement in the art... i

With the above and other obj ects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and Claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the crate in set-up position,

Figure 2 is a plan view,

Figure 3 is anend View,

Figure 4: is a cross sectional view on the line 4e-4l of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 4L but showing the crate partly folded.

Figure 7 is a similar view showing the crate entirely folded,

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

Application filed August 28, 1920. Serial No. 16,547.

0f h folded crate showing the locking means,-and: V v x 1 Figures 9 and 10:are detail'views "of the,

folding troughs.

Referring moreparticularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the bottom of the crate which is rectangular andformed solid either of wood or sheet metal and this bottom hasits edges reinforced by longitudinal and transverse angle bars 11 and 12, respectively. The numeral 13 designates the endsvhich are similar in construction and each of which includes a rectangular frame. ltofanglebars reinforced by a transverse strip 15. These ends are hinged upon the ends of the bottom 10, as indicated at 16.

The numeral 17 designates one ofthe sides which is formed as a'rectangular frame 18 of angle bars reinforced by transverse strips 19. This side is; hinged upon one of the side angle bars 11 or the bottom, as indicated at 20; Thelower angle bar ofthe side has its 7 vertical flange formed with slots 21 and. the

upper .angle bar has'its horizontal flange formed with slots 22. 'At its ends this angle bar 18-isformed with holes 23 for the purpose to be described. The numeral 24 designates the other'side which-is likewise formed as a rectangular frame 25, of angle. bars, connected by'transverse strips 26. This side is hinged upon the other angle bar ll of the bottom, as indicated at 27. At its upper edge thisside 24 carries a plurality of headed members 28. 1 The numeral 29 designates the top which is formed of a plurality of angle-bars eX- tending longitudinally and transversely and which also includes transverse strips 30'. The end'angle bars and the strips 30 are formed with slots 31 through which areengaged the headed members 28 carried by the side 24: whereby to provide a sliding. as well as hinged connection. It shouldbe here stated that the sides, ends, and top are covered with wire screen or netting of suitable mesh or weight, depending upon the size of the coop. Betweenv the strips 30 the top 29 is formed with an opening 32 at the sides of which are located trackways or guides 33 between which is slidable a door 34: permitting access to the interior of the coop and this door is provided with a staple 35 engaged by a double hinged "hasp 36 whereby the door 34: may be locked in closed position. As stated above, the top is connected with r to connect the other edge ofthetop with the i these troughs will in the side 17 and through a hole 44 be lifted a side 17,1 provide a longitudinally slidable bar 3'? slidable along one ofthe anglebars at the edge of the top and mounted within suitable guides At oneend this bar carries a hook 39 which is adapted to be" projected through a-hole 40 in one end of the top and through the hole 23 at one end of the side :17. Intermediate its endsthis rod 37' carries a: plurality of depending hooks 41 adapted to be projected through the slots 22 in the upper edge of the side 17 At its other end the rod 37 is bent upon itself, as shown at 42, to provide a hook 43 adapted to be, projected through the other hole 23 in the top. By this means it will be seen that the top will be locked with respect to the side 1? 'so-that collapsing of the coop will be prevented, it being apparentthat the sides, ends and top cooperate to brace one another; Any suitable catch 45 may be provided for-holding the bar 37 against displacement.

ln'order to providemore fully for the comfortof poultry shipped within the crate, I provide-at oppositesides thereof, collapsiblel troughs ,46, each of which includes a stationary frame 47 and a pivoted frame 1 48 and these frames are covered with canvas indicated are. When the coop is" set up be ini'extended and are; adapted tohold'water. When the coop is collapsed,'it will be seen that these troughs will likewise be collapsed when the sides of the coop are brought down upon the bottom.

In order to collapsethe coop, it is merely necessary that the operator shift the rod 37 todisengagei the hooks 39, 41 and 43 from the holes and slots within which they'are normally engaged whereupon the top .may trifle to. permit inward folding of theside 17. The side 24, is then swun downwardly upon headed members 38 31. The ends are of course folded inwardly and the :top'29 is pressed down upon the foldedv sidesjand endsj. After the parts are thus folded the rod37 is slid to bringthe hooks 39, 41. and 43 thereof, in engagement 7 In order that I have thus position 7 ed with'the bottom,

transverse slots within which its hinges 27 with a? slidingalong the slots From the foregoingdescription and a I drawings it will be apparent provided "a simply constructed and, consequently inexpensive coop for shipping poultry "and which may be easily set up or extended for use study of I the venience in storage and transportation when empty. =While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is V ofcourse to be understood that I reserve the right construction, and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. i

and as I easily knocked down and collapsed for con to makesuch changes in the form,

Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

I 1. A folding coop comprising a bottom, ends hinged thereto, sides hingedly connected with the bottom, a top having a hinged and sliding connection with the upper ed e of one side, as.:longitudinally"shiftable rod carried bylthe other edge of the top and] formedwithdepending hooks, and the ends of the top and "theendsof theadjacent side being formed with holesfor engagement. by said hooks. V f i v i V 2. A folding coop comprising a bottom, ends'hin'ged thereto, sides hingedly connecta plurality of headed members carried by the. upper edge of one side, a top providedv with a plurality of said headed members are slidably engaged, and latch means carried by said top and engageable with the opposite side, said latch means com-' prisinga longitudinally shiftable rod carrying depending hooks, of saidlast mentioned edge of the topland the end portions of the adjacent side memher being formed with holesxfor' the passage of said hooks. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' HENRY W. WORLEY.

and the end portions 

